The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip
Ho Tram, Vietnam: Award-winning The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip will be the venue for a new flagship Asian Tour event.
The Greg Norman-designed course – a Golf Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation – will stage the Ho Tram Players Championship from April 13-16, 2017.
Last December’s inaugural Ho Tram Open set a new standard in golf and entertainment with Sergio Garcia triumphing on the course at the end of a week filled with world-class entertainment.
The event was recognised as the Asian Tour’s 2015 Event of the Year and set the foundation for the launch of the Ho Tram Players Championship.
Kyi Hla Han, Commissioner, Asian Tour, said: “The Players’ Championship will be the highlight of the Asian Tour year and we could not think of a more deserving venue and event than Ho Tram.
“The inaugural year not only put Ho Tram on the map, but has reinforced Vietnam’s position as a growing force in the world of golf and sports.”
Ho Tram will host some of the best golfers in the world including Garcia, who will return to defend his title next April, the week after the year’s first major, The Masters Tournament.
The US$1.2 million showpiece will offer the richest prize purse for a full-field Asian Tour event and also receive an increase in world ranking points given its increased ‘flagship’ status.
Michael Kelly
“This announcement reinforces our commitment to pioneering new and innovative events for Vietnam,” said Michael E. Kelly, Executive Chairman of Asian Coast Development Ltd. “An event of this stature will afford us the opportunity to evolve the Ho Tram Strip’s appeal as a luxury destination and grow Vietnam’s status as a major player in global golf and tourism.”
Players will compete around The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip, which has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the world of golf, with an unprecedented haul of accolades. Launched in November, 2014 the course was recognised as ‘The World’s Best New Golf Course’ at the World Golf Awards and was recently ranked number 74 in Golf Digest’s Top 100 Greatest Golf Courses.
“I made no secret about how impressed I was with Ho Tram and The Bluffs and the response I have had around the world about how spectacular the championship looked has been extraordinary,” said Garcia, the world number 13. “For the event to be announced as The Players Championship is a huge step and I think everyone involved should be particularly proud of getting the event to such status in such a short space of time.”
Ben Styles, Vice-President Golf & Residential Development for The Ho Tram Strip, said: “This is yet another milestone in Ho Tram and Vietnam’s history. To host such a prestigious championship will certainly add more interest for Vietnam, increasing global viewing figures as well as giving our top Vietnamese amateurs the opportunity to compete against the world’s best.”
Norman said: “From the moment I first set foot on site at The Bluffs I knew we would create one of our best courses ever. But to have the opportunity to showcase that and also test some of the best players in the world, initially with the Ho Tram Open and now the Ho Tram Players Championship, takes it to another level for me both as a player and golf course designer. I’m extremely proud to be a part it and look forward to seeing the game continue to grow in this part of the world.”
Established in 1987, Greg Norman Golf Course Design – a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation – spans the globe with 100 courses opened across six continents and in 34 countries.
The article "The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip to Stage Flagship Event" was originally published on http://www.agif.asia/2016/06/the-bluffs-ho-tram-strip-to-stage-flagship-event/
